Maori were not idolaters but, believed more in the wairua (spirit) in
the heavens and the living world around us. The tohunga (expert)
would karakia (incant) to summon the wairua to take abode in these
carved figures commonly called god sticks. This form would act as a
vessel for only a short period of time. Placement of these sticks varied;
sometimes they were used in the hope of a bountiful catch at sea or
for a successful harvest. The tohunga had the ability to connect man
to the gods, which made them the Keepers of Magic.

Lewis Gardiner is regarded as one of the most innovative and
respected Māori jade artists of his generation. In 1994, he graduated
in Māori Craft and Design at the Waiariki Institute of Technology
in Rotorua. During his final year he was introduced to the valuable
medium of pounamu (jade) and was immediately attracted to its
artistic possibilities. Māori had always valued pounamu for both its
hardness and for its translucent beauty. Lewis was no different — as
he says, “Our tupuna (ancestors) have given us, the Māori people,
the resource and knowledge base to provide a reference for us
and our children for years to come.”